‘He was going to get run over without knowing what happened. I couldn’t bear to have that happen with him,’ says skunk’s guardian angel
Newmarket resident Ida Mitsuk said she is used to wildlife treating her property as a safe haven.
She said she had previously seen a skunk on her property, so it was not surprising when she spotted one on the road Jan. 3. But what was unusual was that the skunk was not moving — and seemed to be in distress.
Mitsuk sprang into action, placing the skunk in a box with her scarf before calling animal control. She said the animal seemed to be blinded, and was shivering, not fighting as she brought it in to safety.
“It’s just heartbreaking, just seeing that little guy in the middle of the road. He was going to get run over without knowing what happened. I couldn’t bear to have that happen with him,” she said.
Newmarket’s animal control received several reports of skunks with distemper during the first month of the year. Animal control said that while it is not part of a noticeable trend, they handle the calls with compassion.
Both skunks and raccoons can be infected with canine distemper, which is somewhat common among wildlife in Ontario. The virus cannot spread to humans, but can cause respiratory infections, watery eyes, fever and other symptoms in animals.
The town said animal services will assess an animal when called to attend.
“If there is a reasonable chance of rehabilitation, the animal will be transported to a wildlife rehabilitation facility. If the animal is sick beyond the point of rehabilitation, the most compassionate action for the animal is humane euthanasia,” the municipality said.
Mitsuk said it was clear the skunk was not well and could not see or understand what was happening.
“I watch out and care for all the animals on the property. I just cried my face right off,” she said. “It’s just really sad.”
Still, she said she appreciated animal control’s quick response and how they handled the situation. She was informed there was nothing that could be done for the skunk, which was then humanely euthanized.
“I love this town. Just knowing that I can call somebody to help like that. It’s really nice to know that you can turn somewhere and somebody will do something humane,” she said.
The town said that both skunks and raccoons may be infected with distemper, with the most common signs being disorientation, lethargy and discharge from the eyes and nose. If a resident ever encounters a sick, injured, or in distress animal, they can contact Newmarket animal services at 905-895-5193 or through [email protected].
The town had three calls of skunks with distemper this year as of Jan. 6, with 15 calls in all of 2025. In 2024, there were 52 calls and in 2023, there were four calls. The town noted that distemper often hits the wildlife population in waves.
Mitsuk said that animals can sometimes have a sense when they are about to die, and she has experienced that on her property before.
“I just feel good knowing I have a small property for animals, and animals know it’s safe,” she said.